CHORLEY kicked-off their Arriva Trains National League Cup campaign with an 18-18 tie at Craven Park.

The Lynx squandered a hard-earned 18-8 lead in the final quarter of the game in a performance that left new coach Darren Abram pondering their late lapses in concentration.

With eight new faces in their line-up Chorley's lack of a pre-season outings was bound to leave them ring-rusty but they started brightly, taking the lead on their first attack.

Full-back, Mark McCulley sprinted over by the posts, with another former St Helens player John Braddish converting.

Barrow levelled the scores on 10 minutes when Aussie James King prised open the Lynx defence and sent stand-off Paul Jones under the posts to give Phil Atkinson an easy conversion - he then added a penalty.

However, Lynx took control and tries from Anton Garcia and Mick Briggs, plus goals from Braddish, set up what should have been a match winning 18-8 lead.

But Chorley lost their way after that. Andrew Henderson cantered over to cut the deficit, with Atkinson's conversion giving Barrow new hope and winger, Jamie Marshall scurried over to tie the scores.

BARROW RAIDERS...18 CHORLEY LYNX...18